Members of the Senate Executive Committee discussed a proposed policy Thursday afternoon that would implement a future plan to rent textbooks out to students so to relieve spending on expensive textbooks.
Students would pay one-third the amount of present textbook prices, saving students an estimated 66 percent, said Provost Harry Hellenbrand.
CSUN President Jolene Koester has reviewed and approved the policy on timely adoption of textbooks and instructional materials for accessibility. Letters advocating for the policy will be sent out to faculty as early as next week.
The proposition would require faculty to submit their textbooks of choice for instruction before a designated deadline prior to the beginning of the semester. Students would rent out the assigned textbooks and return them at the conclusion of the semester, saving students the financial woes of purchasing expensive textbooks.
The committee also discussed the problematic devotion from standing committee members who have not been attending meetings and contributing to important issues discussed.
“The number of standing committee senate members, elected or appointed, are not attending on a regular basis and are coming unprepared,” said Jennifer Matos, faculty president.
Matos drafted a letter concerning attendance and minutes obligated to the standing committee members, which will be sent to them as a reminder of their responsibility to their position.
“People who don’t perform their duties are not fulfilling their responsibilities,” said committee member Nicholas Dungey.
Hellenbrand discussed the future of CSUN’s email system. He said the committee should pressure Information Technology personnel to devise a new system of email because 70 percent of student emails sent to faculty are from various email addresses. He recommended that CSUN get out of the email business.
A report by Hellenbrand shows that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s recent budget will cut $312 million from the CSU, and an estimated $10-$13 million from CSUN’s budget. The committee will discuss plans to ask the state legislature for more money at the next meeting on Mar. 13.
Ed Alfano, chair of the art department, announced the upcoming photography exhibit “Camera and Community,” which will open on Mar. 14 at CSUN’s Arts and Design Center. The exhibit will display the work of more than 20 photographers from Southern California. It will feature photographs dating back from the 1930s, which include photographs of Martin Luther King Jr., Caesar Chavez, and various jazz artists such as Billie Holiday, pianist Thelonious Monk and Dexter Gordon.
Curator Kent Kirkton will host an introductory talk about the exhibit on Mar. 10. The exhibit will be available until April 12, and admission is open and free to the public.
“It’s an exhibit from our university collection,” said Alfano, “it’s a phenomenal picture collection.”
